Season 2: Episode 36 - Let’s Calm Kitchen-It: Where Life, Faith and the Kitchen Meet

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome to the Joy-Inspired Podcast. I'm Nikki Cruz, and I'm thrilled to explore with you what it means to walk in a faith-infused business. This is your space to find powerful tools and insights, to build with resilience, and to create impact through your unique purpose, discovering a joy that only God can provide. Together, let's embrace a business journey anchored in faith and empowered by joy. Let's jump in. Well, hello, hello, hello, amazing people. It's so exciting to be back here again on the Joy Inspired Podcast. And I'm so glad you're tuning in for another episode, and we have a super special guest today. But if you don't know me and you're wondering who is this crazy lady, my name is Nikki Cruz. I'm also known as the Joy Junkie. I am a total Jesus freak. And I believe we get to infuse God into every area of our life and business. So we bring testimonies forward of where God has inspired and where people have seen how God has come in and influenced their business so that you can be inspired too. Because when we have God in our businesses and our lives, we have so much joy. And I am your joy junkie. I am your cheerleader. I'm somebody who wants to inspire and encourage you through you hearing the testimonies of other people. And today, our very special guest is Maria Bakira. And she is an amazing woman who I've bec got to know and seen grow and appreciate so much. And she has a very interesting take on things. So let's just welcome Maria. Maria, thank you so much for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Thank you, Nikki. Thank you for inviting me. I'm very excited to be here.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

And I am super, super excited to hear what you've got to share. And as you bring forward how we bring life, faith, and business into the kitchen. And it's amazing because so often we have analogies that pop up in our mind, but God has given this as your method of bringing things forward to make it easier for people to understand. And boy, isn't the kitchen a wonderful place to sit down with a cup of cocoa and have an honest, heartfelt conversation. Because through Calm Kitchenette, Maria uses kitchen imagery, writing, and stories to help you, me, all of us find hope, clarity, and a workable next step. Maria, before we get into your story, I have to ask you in the kitchen, are you a follower of the recipe type of person? Or are you a little bit of the this and that and let's see what happens type of person?

SPEAKER_00 3:30

Well, actually, I'm both. There are times where I want to follow a recipe to learn exactly how something is made, but then I also have, well, what happens if we do this with it and see what happens?

SPEAKER_01 3:46

And is that is that something you find reflects in how you approach life as well?

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Yes. I don't just go looking at things one way, I like to see different angles.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Nice. And you know, we don't we often don't notice about how we do one thing is how we do everything, but it's true, it's really true. So take us back to the beginning. How did Calm Kitchenette begin? And why did the kitchen become the language you use to talk about faith and the things that we're working through?

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Well, it started about 15 years ago. I was having a conversation with a friend, and while I was speaking with her, I got this image in my head of a mixing bowl. And in the mixing bowl, there were ingredients, but they weren't mixed together. So you had whole eggs, you had butter with the wrapping around it, and you had sugar. And it was the very first time I saw something that represented stages in life, so time and seasons.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

You saw that, that was an image you had. But when did you begin to recognize that this was something not just for you, but you got to share it with others?

SPEAKER_00 5:27

Well, as God usually does, he doesn't tell you that part. I just thought the moment I remembered the image, I knew this was something special. And I just decided to write it down. I had no idea it would become a book. That's how it starts, and that's how God's path starts with a lot of things. It's we don't know the next step.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

And that's where obedience comes in. Because when you're obedient without knowing the outcome, it's so powerful. And you know, in Ezekiel, God uh God is talking to Ezekiel, and he says to him, just be obedient, just do it. The outcome of you speaking to people is not your responsibility, and God honors our obedience so much. But what did it look like? You know, what did your first step into sharing that actually look like? You mentioned the book.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

Yes, I just started writing, I didn't know it would be chapter by chapter. I was drawn to books that had questions in them to help draw things out. So that's how the structure became where it was a self-help workbook style. But other than the bowl, what else did I know to talk about in it? But the more I started writing, the more it became clear there was more to this than the bowl. It was actually a statement about using a comparison of making a cake, so starting with a bowl of ingredients.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

So and I think that your books are beautiful, absolutely beautiful. And if people don't recognize the significance of those statements, they might look at it and go, that's a pretty picture. But God hasn't given you pretty pictures with a few words, God has given you an entire message, very concise in a few words. And I absolutely love that. I mean, who can't relate to a bowl? I can relate to a bowl with ingredients. What comes out of it I can't relate to. And sometimes we're actually looking at something so extraordinary, and he's already showing us through what's right in front of us, and we don't see it. So, folks, be excited about what you see. Pause, ask God, just like Maria just stepped into obedience, and that you know, that comes with trusting God with the steps. She said she didn't know what was happening next. And you wrote something in our application that really caught my attention. God leads our steps, not us. Can you tell us about that when that season became real for you and how it challenged the way you approach your work when you just had to walk blindly in faith?

SPEAKER_00 8:49

I can actually tell you it's almost when hasn't that happened? It's been the entire journey of when um with God with me, He guides me to a direction. And until I take that step, he won't show me what's next.

unknown 9:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

So with the book, with the inspirational pieces that you had just mentioned about my illustrations, that was another one. I had no idea what I was creating. So when I feel led to start creating something, instead of figuring it out at once, I just let go. And in those moments where I get tempted to question what's going on, that's when God takes me back to another kitchen imagery. So he speaks to me this way too. It isn't just what I state for other people, it's also how he talks to me.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

And you, you know, I know this just from our connection. You are very much a project planner and project person. How do you hold together the planning a project and still staying open to his direction? Because to most people, those seem like total inconsistencies, you know. How do you do both?

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Well, first off, I've learned that the original plan doesn't necessarily mean it's going to go in the direction we think, even if it is God's plan exactly. Because the way we see his plan and the way he's designed it sometimes is different. So that's when he will show me. You might think you need this ingredient over here now, but it really needs to sit for a while. And how many recipes do we have like that where we're tempted to just throw everything in at once? But there are some ingredients that you have to wait until the right time, such as when you're working with bread, you can't bake it right away, you have to wait. Making pasta, you've got to let it rest for a bit. So that's what he's showing is even when you have a plan, you got to be ready, or you can have circumstances that can challenge you. Sometimes they're God, sometimes they're not. Sometimes it's just ourselves working through things.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

So and I think you I think that's a really good point. You know, things happen in life. There are circumstances that come up, and whether it's God or not, or ourselves sometimes can draw our focus so much that we don't address it. It's happening, it's the circumstance, and we are not defined or controlled by those circumstances, but by our response to it. And we can spend so long sitting there saying, God, is this you? Isn't this you? instead of saying, God, what do I do next? And let me tell you, my cakes would probably come out better if I stopped and said, okay, what next? And then I would know not to put the coriander in my cake mix because I am not a kitchen person, for those of you who don't know. The stuff I can cook, I cook really well, asked my husband. But you're for new inventions, not really. And I can go into the kitchen and feel totally out of my depth, just like some of us can go into life and feel totally out of our depth. And just to go back to what I said a second ago, you can lose the joy of wanting to bake that cake by becoming overwhelmed. And this is where what Maria has to bring forward is so powerful, and you know, you have it in on your screen there. What does it mean to calm kitchen it?

SPEAKER_00 13:02

Calm kitchen it is my verb that says take an action. That's in essence what it is. You can see kitchen. I have Kitchen Coco next to me, and she represents projects and process on my website. And calm kitchen it means instead of when you feel stuck, you not know what to do, you're taking an action and moving forward. Gives you the inspiration. Almost where you hear the theme music in the movie, and you see the underdog who's trying to get something done, and they move forward. That's the calm kitchenette. Start hearing a familiar theme in your head that gets you motivated. That's what it's about. I use it every day for myself too. So it's that something's not working, let's calm kitchen it and make it happen.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Oh, I love that. I love that. And let's say somebody has a project they care about, because everything in life is a project. We just don't like the word project. But you know, they have this thing that they so deeply care about. Entrepreneurs all know they have these ideas that come up all the time, but the tasks, ideas, and the expectations just are all tangled together. How would you help that woman look at it through the kitchen approach?

SPEAKER_00 14:37

Well, the project, as you just mentioned, does sound intimidating. Does kitchen bowls, cups, ingredients that you add? Sometimes one seasoning is too much, sometimes not enough. So you have the right balance with everything. Taking a look back when you're feeling overwhelmed, okay. Let's take a step back. Or a term, another another term I like to use is let's clean the counter. So let's break apart that. I'll say a jewelry ball when it gets all tangled, and just as you said, where you can't figure out which chain is going on with the next. Well, let's slowly break those apart so we can see the real focus, we can see why you are feeling overwhelmed. What's causing it?

SPEAKER_01 15:36

And you know, my next question was going to be what is one thing that somebody could put into practice today? But I think you've just said it. Stop, have a look, and identify that thing. And I, you know, your principles become so simplified. I'm one of those people who go, I've never worked in corporate, don't talk to me about projects. And ever since I started hearing you talk, I see it so differently. And you know, you've actually now built an entire business around this message. It includes writing books, stories, seasonal reflections, which are amazing. If you guys don't have it, you need to connect with Maria and go and get those. And project work. But how does your faith connect those different pieces? And what do you hope people will take with them after spending time in Calm Kitchenet?

SPEAKER_00 16:40

Well, just as we had talked about with steps, with designing Calm Kitchenet, my original vision and where it is now, it's really evolved. My original thought is I wanted to create a place for someone to feel refreshed. I wanted a place to help remind people to have hope. That was the original purpose of Calm Kitchenet. So it isn't just for others, but God is also with me, showing me more than I can do. But as I said before, he starts with one step. And when we look at recipes, it's one step. And I will confess there are times where if I read a recipe step by step, it does look intimidating. Because you have a huge list of ingredients, you have a list of measurements, and a list of instructions that sometimes can go a page or two depending on the recipe. So I like to remember, okay, I remember I need eggs, I need butter, okay, and for exact measurements, I will look at it, but a lot of times with the seasonings. Not that everybody does that, but that's what works for me.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

And what I and what I love about what you're saying about cooking, about your business, about everything else, is there's heart in it. It's more than just following the instructions. And if there's one thing I know about you, you have heart behind everything. And tell me who tends to connect most deeply with your work, and what are they usually navigating?

SPEAKER_00 18:28

People tend to enjoy, and I have been told, bless you, that I want people to feel like I'm right there with them. So my writing, my tone with everything is I am right there with you step by step. So there isn't a specific, it's because my writing can bring out different things in people because it is steps, it is process. Even my previous book that didn't focus on project coordinator, I focused on what flavor are you as a cake. That was the purpose behind it. So, and that's what's so beautiful about it is because when God touches it, who knows where it's going to go.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Yeah. Yep. So, so true. And you know, we're talking about these books, and people around now are probably going, okay, but where do I where do I look at them? Um, where where can people find these things? And by the way, for those of you listening and going, yes, where I don't have a pen and paper, there will be some links in the comments where you can connect with Maria, you can find her stuff, but I want her to tell you as well.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

Well, the best way is to go on my website. I have everything there. I have a page that has my books where you can contact me. My website is http backslash backslash colon www.comkitchenette.com. That's C A L M K I T C H E N E T T E for Calm Kitchenette.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

And thank you, because I do, I mean, I do believe there are so many people who will get so much value. And before we carry on and talk more about all of this, I know you've generously offered a gift to our audience. And tell us a little bit about that gift. It's in the downloads. You guys don't have to write anything down, especially if you're driving and listening. And I would encourage you to share this with other people. Share the joy of this. When you get this, you're gonna go, wow. So tell us about the gift that you're giving our audience.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Absolutely. Uh, my gift is I have a document called Getting Unstuck. And it has questions to help draw out where you can figure out what angle is holding you back from getting something done. Because there's always a reason behind it. And yes, there can be circumstances that aren't personally you that can affect something, such as a staff situation, or as I talk about in Kitchen World, my world, calm kitchenette is my kitchen world, uh, where we talk about let's say there are some ingredients that are missing. And here's the question though does a chef just quit? No, they don't, they improvise. So, and my other document is spice counter. And in the spice counter, I have my seasonal. Cocos who are there to help inspire you, and it's a nice gauge for you to figure out where you're at with a project. What stage of the project are you in? And to help give you some tips.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

So and folks take advantage of that because it really is a beautiful gift. So you do all of this, you give so freely. And when you know you said God always leads our steps, but there are times where we try to control things, and you have calm kitchen out there as a sort of releasing some of that control, following a bit of process, and that helps people overcome the challenges they're in. So what has been a challenging business lesson? Uh and what did you change because of it that you've come to through?

SPEAKER_00 23:07

I can tell you I am not the same person that I was with first creating Calm Kitchenette. Um at first, with my books, everything seemed quiet, and I kept feeling led. You're not done. There's more, especially my first book, Time and Seasonings, that just kept coming. Okay, we're going to work on another volume and another piece. And there's actually a sample of a future writing that's in my website as well on my sip and story page. But getting back to designing the website, that was a huge step because you have this blank canvas, you have no idea how I want it pictured. I didn't even know what I wanted in it at first. I only knew I want to create something that helps bring hope for people. I had no idea it would turn into a seasonal page where I have questions to help someone figure out emotionally where they are. And I even have a season called Boiling Over, one of my boiling over cocos. I did that deliberately because this is about the emotional impact, but I have exercises in there to help calm that down. I wanted to create this because there's been so much stress out there going on. I wanted a place for people to feel quiet and calm. And you had mentioned how the website has evolved now into touching into my project coordinator side, because I used to be one. And because of health reasons that changed that.

SPEAKER_01 25:34

Yeah. Those wonderful meals where the husband says, Can we have this again sometime? And you say, No, because I have no idea how it happened. But you do bring, you know, and I think when we first met, you weren't even focusing very much on your project side, but suddenly God revealed to you how that was very much part of it, and He's brought you forward in that. And okay, because I'm me, I have to bring this back around to joy because as we work through things, you know, we know joy, folks. A reminder: if you're new on here, joy is not a bonus, joy is a strategy. And what helps you, Maria, stay connected to joy when the work is unfinished and life hasn't settled into a neat little recipe. How do you stay connected to joy?

SPEAKER_00 26:37

Well, that's why I love steps. Because even with my publishing journey, I'll just share this real quick. I was so concerned about the manuscript being perfect when I turned it in to get published. Do you know how many times that manuscript had to be looked over by the time it was officially published? I lost count of the number of times. So that is a very good example of it. Steps, instead of being scary, let's look at instead of getting everything, we have to get it out of our head. Our head can only grasp on to so much. We put it down on paper. We like planners when it comes to keeping track of lots of things. We write lists, we write tasks because all of it in our head, well, projects, that word sounds intimidating. Oh, it's a project. So let's just call it a goal. It doesn't need to be called that. Or let's say, let's create a recipe. Now, when you talk food language, how much more wording is there than in project world? And not only that, but cooking has all the senses. Yes. You visualize it. One of the things I do is I think about different seasonings. Let's say I'm thinking about time, and I'm thinking, what would go well with that? And not just something that you would hear about in a recipe, but I twist it up. I love watching cooking shows where they have the challenge with the ingredients of how am I going to put this together, you know, and make some flavor. I love watching those. I have so much fun with it. Because in my mind, I'm sitting there going, well, if they take this and put some soy sauce in it and add some garlic over here, you can bridge these flavors together. That's what I do.

SPEAKER_01 28:43

And that's where you get your joy. You know, when folks, when the pressure is on, life isn't always going to be easy. There's always going to be pressure. And just what Maria explained, she loves watching the cooking shows. Step into your joy. In fact, you've never stepped out of it, but you know, bring it out to the outside of you by getting reconnecting with the passion of what you're doing. You heard her. As soon as she starts talking about this, she lights up. And you know, we all have moments where we feel like our joy is distant. Are you taking time to spend time with Joy? If she were a person, would she feel like you've ghosted her? Because if you want to cook in your kitchen, you have to be intentional about it. If you want food on the other side, you have to make time for it. It's not gonna happen on its own. And your relationship with your own joy is the same. And I often talk about building with God, not just for God. And Shea Maria is giving us a really great example of how to do that through the recipe analogy. Okay, before we finish, let's just have a little fun. What is your favorite comfort meal?

SPEAKER_00 30:15

Oh goodness, I love ramen. Ramen is my go-to.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

I love that. Which kitchen item best describes you in this season and why?

SPEAKER_00 30:29

Well, my favorite tool is a fork, actually.

SPEAKER_01 30:33

And why would that describe you in this season? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:39

Because one, a fork is it's underestimated for one. It looks like, but I actually love mixing things with a fork. I love using a fork for making soups. If I'm trying to create an egg drop soup, I will pour it through the fork to get the egg to mix nicely. So I've found a lot of times when I needed something to work with, I'd grab my fork. That's the first thing. That and I would say the small whisk. That's my next favorite.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

So oh wow. So you're really mixing it up these days. And I can say that that's true. You are mixing it up these days. And right at the moment in your life, what's one thing that brings you joy?

SPEAKER_00 31:26

One thing that's tough, just naming one.

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Yeah. Well, that's awesome that there's so many, but yes.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

Um, well, I love the adventure. I love the journey. I love the underdog stories. I love, I'm the cheerleader. I want to cheer people on. I want people to feel the exhilaration of getting something done because that feeling is amazing. And the thing about it is when you are following God's direction, this isn't our idea originally. Even with Calm Kitchenette, that wasn't my idea. It's his idea. I just followed creating something. I had no idea where it's going, and trusting it's turning into something beautiful, which is where a lot of flavor starts. We take what we have in front of us and we make it work. Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

You know, you connect so beautifully to God as well. And is there a scripture you keep coming back to?

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Oh, yes. Proverbs 3, 5. That is a solid scripture. That was one of the first scriptures when I gave my life to God. That somebody said, This is a scripture for you to learn. So it touches deep. And those moments where I feel nervous, scared, because we're being honest. Yeah, there are times where you feel scared. And in the Bible, we see it all the time. I don't think you know it was just a party all the time for everybody. No. But in those moments, I hang on to that. I even hang on to where I'm a child in his arms.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

Absolutely. And you know, for a woman who's listening, or a gentleman who's listening out there, who at the moment is feeling a little scared, a little overwhelmed. What word of encouragement could you give her right now?

SPEAKER_00 33:44

Don't lose hope. Hope sometimes you think it's not there, but it's real. And just like I'm learning, even with writing, I published Time and Seasonings years ago, and it felt silent. Now though, I can see a clear picture of what was happening. Sometimes when seeds are planted, it takes a while to see it grow on the outside. But it doesn't mean underneath the ground there aren't things happening. We actually have a plant, we have this rose bush, and every single time it looks like it's not there anymore, a little bud will pop out, just as a reminder of saying, I'm still here. So it's like, don't forget me. I'm still here, I'm still growing. Hope isn't something we always see, and we don't have to always feel it. It's something deep down. And a lot of the beautiful things, such as grapes and how they grow, they don't grow in the best ground. They grow where it's uncomfortable. And that's what I see is what has happened with my books. And I want to encourage anyone who's listening, don't give up. Especially if you're feeling a strong feeling towards something that you really care about. That is your compass right there, not to quit. I challenge you. Look at it as a recipe now. Look at it as a goal right now. And start looking at it as okay, what needs to happen here? Do I need to sit back and wait for other steps? Is there something that I've been feeling guided to do? I haven't done yet. Is there someone I need to speak with? Is there something I need to create? That's but I challenge anybody to start thinking as a recipe.

SPEAKER_01 36:01

Think of the beauty of what you're gonna make at the end of it. And just remember, folks, God wastes nothing. So you may be sitting in a season where you think this is such a waste. I've mixed the flour and the eggs, and now I've got no sugar, so I can't make that recipe. Well, you know what? If that's the case, I bet you God's got another recipe that doesn't require the sugar. Don't give up, God wastes nothing. And in the season, slow down and ask God what He's showing you. Because if you're in so much despair and disillusionment that you're not even waiting on God, how are you going to find the solution? You know? So I encourage you, and Maria, what beautiful words. Thank you so much. Thank you for that. And thank you for bringing your heart, your creativity, your passion to the Joy-Inspired podcast. It's been wonderful to have you here. And friends, as you go away from this, think if there's somebody else who may need this encouragement. Don't forget to subscribe and share with them. Don't keep it to yourself because there is so much wisdom here in what Maria has said, and all the details to connect with her are in the comments below. If you want to type in a comment, connect with Maria, do so because we will be watching out. But as you go back to whatever is waiting for you today, this week, take a moment and ask, Lord, what is my next faithful step? And then give yourself room to listen, folks. And then do what Maria emphasized today. Act on what God shows you. As I said, we'll include Maria's details and gifts in the show notes so you can continue this conversation with her. And I encourage you, go out and joy this week. Bring joy to as many people as you can. You know why? Because joy is like elastic, it bounces back at you. And that's all from us. What last words do you have, Maria?

SPEAKER_00 38:27

I just want to say to people, don't give up. And as I had mentioned, Proverbs 3:5, trust in the Lord with all your heart.

unknown 38:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

Just do that and remember, He is the ultimate chef. We're his sous chefs.

SPEAKER_01 38:43

Absolutely. And when we don't have the answers, it's so comforting to know that we want to know the one who does. So I encourage you, whether you feel like it or not, choose joy, choose gratitude, and be blessed. Thank you so much for joining us today. Wasn't this fun? And don't you all want to run into the kitchen and start making something? Well, apply that to what God has put in your hands for this week as well. And I look forward to catching up with you on the next episode. Blessings all. Bye for now. Bye. Thank you so much for joining me on the Joy Inspired Podcast at www.joyinspiredpodcast.com. Make sure you hit that subscribe button so that you can get this and every other episode that comes out. We have lots of great stuff coming, and you don't want to miss it. So make sure to hit that subscribe. I am so grateful for all the reviews and comments, and I look forward to serving you in next week's episode.